This invention relates to a railway fastening clip for securing a rail to a sleeper.
The use of railway fastening clips to secure rails to sleepers is well known. The sleepers used generally in underground mines, as well as those used in railways in many countries, consist of concrete castings, provided with steel eye formations to allow the securing of rails thereto using steel clips.
The conventional railway fastening clips used in conjunction with such sleepers consist of a steel element formed so as to comprise a spiral including three straight parallel sections, each disposed, in operation, co-linearly with the rail. In operation, the central straight section passes through the eye, and one of the other straight sections passes over a shoulder in the eye while the other exerts a downward force on the base of the rail, thereby securing it in position. In order to achieve the down force necessary to secure the rail to the sleeper, the clips have an arched section which protrudes substantially above the sleeper. The protrusion of the clips renders them vulnerable to impacts, and problems are thus experienced with the breakage and displacement of these clips, often caused by impact from derailed carriages. As clips break, rails become loose, and the risk of further derailments is increased.
In addition, the cost of producing such clips is relatively high, both in terms of the material used and the time and labour expended in forming the clips.
It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a railway fastening clip which will overcome, or at least reduce the above disadvantages.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a railway fastening clip for securing a rail to a support, the clip comprising an elongate member, formed so as to consist of a first longitudinal leg; and a second longitudinal leg, the legs being resiliently connected at one end of the member; and an ear formation extending transversely beyond the first leg.
The member may have an upper and a lower side, and the end of the first leg proximate to the connected end may be lower than the second leg.
The legs may be substantially parallel. Alternatively, the first leg may be inclined upwardly by up to 20xc2x0.
The free end of each of the legs remote from the connected end of the member may be inclined upwardly. The angle of inclination may be up to 45xc2x0, and preferably 4xc2x0, and the distance from the end at which the inclination begins may be between 5 and 50 mm and preferably approximately 10 mm.
The ear formation may consist of a loop section connecting the legs.
The part of the loop defining the end of the member may be curved outwardly towards the upper side of the clip.
The first leg may extend beyond the second leg.
The member may be manufactured of steel suitable for oil quenching in production to a hardness of at least 32 Rc, and preferably at least 57 Rc.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a set of mirrored left and right, substantially as defined above.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided the use of a clip as defined above for securing a rail in position.